Working as a personal trainer in Miami for over 10 years I know that starting a weight management program can be overwhelming and frustrating. There are so many aspects to consider. There are so many questions running through your head. There are so many myths that need busting. Some people never get their program off the ground because they just don’t know where to start. One of the reasons my clients are so successful, is that we provide them with a Quick Start Plan of Action. If you ask an expert, what is the most challenging part about starting a weight management program, nine times out of ten, you will hear, “getting started”. So, let’s look at some of these challenges.
First of all, you want to get fit. You can remember a time in your life when you were at your best fitness level ever. It could be last year; it could be 10 years ago. But you long for that feeling again. You have let yourself go, maybe you were too busy, maybe you had health problems, maybe you were just plain lazy. What ever the reason, here you are, reading my words.
So let’s break things down into smaller concepts, a 7 step list if you will to weight management. I will briefly touch on each topic to keep it simple. These are the same concepts that make our clients as successful as seen by our numerous testimonials on the RenuBody website If you want more detailed information on any of these or other topics go to the RenuBody.
1. Drink More Water
2. Mind Your Carbs
3. Eat More Protein
4. Get Smart About Fat
5. Walk 30-40 Minutes 5-6 Days Per Week
6. Work Your Muscles 3 Days Per Week
7. Talk to an Expert
- Drink More Water: I know you have heard this one before. As a personal Trainer in Miami I cannot stress how important it is to remember drink water when you live and workout in Miami. “Drink 8-10 glasses of water per day”. This is so very important for weight management. Water is the universal solvent. Our bodies are made up of mostly water. Our bodies a giant chemistry set’s, constantly producing all kinds of chemicals to do everything from thinking to walking to sleeping. So if you do not drink enough water, your body will not function properly and you will feel like crap. And, did you know that if you are properly hydrated with water, you will lose weight a lot quicker, yup!
- Mind Your Carbs: Ok, the carb thing… Where do I start! I know you have heard the concept of cutting carbs; it is the premise behind diets like Zone or Atkins. Carb cutting is a great concept but ONLY if you do it right. For weight management you need to understand that there are “good carbs” and there are “bad carbs”. Good carbs are fibrous in nature, basically all of the green stuff that you might put on a salad. If it grew in the ground, chances are it is going to be a “good carb”. The bad carbs are anything processed. By processed, I mean it is not in any kind of natural state, it has been chemically modified, preserved, enhanced, etc.
- Eat More Lean Protein: You should strive to eat 5-6 servings of “clean and lean” protein each day. When I say serving, I am talking about a portion about the size of a deck of cards. Protein is the basic building block for all of your muscles and vital to a weight management. If are cutting back on carbs, you have to make up the calories somewhere, so that leaves fat and protein. Protein is the better choice.
- Get Smart About Fat: Over the past 25 years, people have been trained to hate fat. Because they were told that fat will make them fat. So, why is everybody fatter than ever? Fat is essential to your body in many ways and not all fats are created equal. There are “good fats” and there are “bad fats”. Good fats include what are called essential fatty acids or EFA. These fats are vital to your body function, brain function, immune system, and on and on. The only problem is that your body cannot produce EFA’s, so they have to come from your diet. Now, the “bad fats” are saturated or hydrogenated fats, basically fats that harden at room temperature or have been chemically modified to stay hard at room temperature. Here is an important concept for weight management did you know that you will drop body fat faster if you include the right kinds of fats into your diet?
- Walk 30-40 Minutes 5-6 Days per Week: People always ask me “Dave, what is the best form of cardio to lose weight?” I reply, “which ever one you will stick to over time”. What I mean is that cardio has to be a regular part of your fitness lifestyle. Now, there are different ways to do cardio but that is a lengthily topic in itself. I tell my clients, just get out and walk. Put on some comfortable shoes, and get off your butt. I am a big believer in cardio 30- 40 minutes first thing in the morning 6 days a week. I truly believe that is the most effective for weight management, but do it whenever you can make the time.
- Work Your Muscles 3 Days Per Week: Your muscles are your metabolism. Meaning, in simple terms, that when you move you burn calories and calories burned equates to metabolism. So, if you improve the quality of your muscles, making them harder and denser and in some cases larger, you are improving your body’s ability to burn calories. The best way to exercise your muscles is through resistance training. We notice that the weight management clients that make resistance training a regular part of their fitness lifestyle reach their goal significantly faster and in most cases have gone further than their original goals.
- Talk to an Expert: I think an important first step in kicking of a successful weight management program is to talk to an expert personal trainer in Miami, like the ones at Dubail Fitness. This person should be able to discuss your goals with you and talk about your health and family history. The next step should be a fitness assessment with the personal trainer taking some important baseline metrics, blood pressure, pulse, weight, body composition, tape measurements, and an assessment of your energy levels and sleep habits. These metrics are vital to tracking progress and success but also troubleshooting and modifying a program as needed. These are always the first steps for all of our new Miami personal training clients. And that’s just the beginning; your PT will then guide you through the process of getting fit. You will learn how to eat, how to exercise for optimum results. You will learn to work smart.
I hope that you found this information useful. I know I enjoyed sharing it. One thing I learned while writing this is that there is so much information out there on each topic. It is impossible to put it all into just one article. That is why I have written more detailed articles for each of the topics discussed. And best of all they are yours to read and share with your friends and family. Also, I love meeting and helping new people every day so, if you have any questions or just need a little motivation, feel free to call or email me and I would love to help you reach your weight management goals!